Deck 6: Fighting Poverty:temporary Assistance to Needy Families

Question 1

Welfare benefits are calculated based on level of need,and the state sets a percentage of this amount that is usually around:

A)95% of the minimum amount a family needs to survive.
B)65% of the minimum amount a family needs to survive.
C)100% of the minimum amount a family needs to survive.
D)50% of the minimum amount a family needs to survive.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

In the onion metaphor the middle layer of people consist of:

A)People that receive assistance for two to eight years,and are on-and-off again users of the public welfare system.
B)People that enter the system due to a discrete event,and use the system for two or fewer years.
C)People that have serious physical and emotional impairment
D)People who are systems dependent and receive assistance for eight or more years.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The term "welfare" conceptually refers to a wide range of programs including:

A)Worker's Compensation
B)Social Security
C)Supplemental Security Income
D)All the above

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Based on evidence from the text,would you conclude that overall the TANF program is a successful program? Why or why not? On what measure or measures of success are you basing your assessment? Provide specific examples and data to support your position.

Question 5

Empirical evidence demonstrates a clear relationship between:

A)Willingness to work and job availability
B)Level of education and level of income
C)Willingness to participate in training programs and job availability
D)Level of income and drug addiction

Question 6

The American belief that individuals are autonomous and have control over their destinies is best defined as:

A)freedom.
B)individualism.
C)accountability.
D)None of the above.

Question 7

There is evidence that the early reductions in welfare rolls observed with TANF have now reversed and caseloads are on the rise.

Question 8

In 1996 the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)program was replaced by __________________

A)Dependent Children's Pensions (DCP).
B)Temporary Family Aid (TFA).
C)Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
D)Assistance for Families in Need (AFN).

Question 9

Based on welfare-to-work evaluations prior to PRWORA,evidence showed that there were no real problems with welfare recipients' willingness to work.

Question 10

Which of the following is not a significant reported barrier to employment by welfare recipients.

A)poor physical or mental health
B)severe domestic violence
C)lack of motivation
D)criminal record

Question 11

Since 1996 welfare rolls have declined by ____________

A)4,533,000
B)1,802,567
C)2,503,249
D)3,604,231

Question 12

The mothers' pension program and later the ADC program were never intended to support:

A)Widowed mothers
B)Young mothers
C)Deserted mothers
D)Unwed mothers

Question 13

The average monthly grant for public assistance in 2010 was ________________.

A)$392.
B)$1230.
C)$973
D)$678.

Question 14

Adjusted for inflation,expenditure on welfare programs (AFDC and TANF)have:

A)increased.
B)stayed about the same.
C)decreased.
D)more than doubled.

Question 15

The passage of the Family Support Act was hailed as a massive welfare reform and a tremendous success with no need for further adjustment.

Question 16

Over 70% of children who are raised in heavily welfare dependent families will become welfare dependent adults.

Question 17

One of the centerpieces of the TANF program is the _______________.

A)drug-testing policy
B)expanded disability program
C)personal savings accounts
D)sixty-month lifetime limit

Question 18

_____________ first tried in the 1960s as part of the war on poverty,these attempted to empower individuals and neighborhoods.

A)Social Service Strategies
B)Human Capital Strategies
C)Job Creation Strategies
D)Institutional Strategies

Question 19

Of all persons who ever began a welfare spell,_____________ received assistance for less than two years.

A)59.23%
B)27.75%
C)13.00%
D)None of the above

Question 20

Traditionally,and today the vast majority of public assistance beneficiaries are women and their children.

Question 21

Explain the differences between the AFDC program prior to 1967,and the TANF program,including the scope,goals,target populations,and implementation of these programs.What are the strengths and weaknesses of each? Which do you feel best addresses the needs and challenges of the poor today and why?

Question 22

Select an American value from the text and explain the significance of this value to society and how this value influences the public's perception of the public assistance system.Is it rational to expect that every individual in today's society can fulfill the expectations and assumptions inherent in this value? Why or why not?

Question 23

Based on the onion metaphor,is the innermost core of the onion being served by the current public assistance system?
Why or why not? Looking at the overall track record for service to this group,and the goal of public assistance to aid people in returning to self-sufficiency,has the program been successful with achieving this goal with this group? Would you do anything to the current system to reform it to better address the needs of this group? Explain any adjustments or reforms to the current system.